Ron's Big Mission by Rose Blue

Ron is excited.  He skips breakfast, turns down a doughnut from the local shopkeeper, and passes on shooting baskets with his friend Carl.  Ron has important plans at the Lake City Public Library.  He arrives at the library, greets the librarian, and heads for the shelves.  After selecting several books on aviation Ron proceeds to check out desk, where he is ignored by the desk clerk.  Ron is determined to check out his own book, although library policy only allows white people to check out books for African Americans, but not for African Americans to have their own library card.  Ron refuses to budge even after the police and his mother are called to the library.  In the end Ron obtains a library card and walks home to pursue his dream.  Readers learn from the author’s note that this book is a fictional account based on the life of astronaut Ronald McNair.

The plot is one element that makes this book successful.  In looking closely from beginning to end, the reader glimpses Ron’s interest in space.  There is a model rocket and airplane, he’s looking at the moon, and a solar system mobile is hanging in his room.  However the reader is unaware until later in the book what is Ron’s mission.  Both the text and illustrations make this an engaging book as readers can think about what will happen next and discuss how the characters feel based on facial expressions.  The language is accessible by not being preachy and degrading to the point that a reader may be uncomfortable or turned off by this book.

This book could be used as an introduction to the library for children in grades 3 and up.  After reading, the librarian could discuss how Ron entered the library, how he selected his books, the care that he took with the books, and talk about the responsibility and priviledge of having a library card.  The discussion of why some people were allowed library cards while others were not would also need to be addressed.  I would also recommend this book to children that have an interest in aviation, along with recommending a biography about Ronald McNair and books about planes.

Ron’s Big Mission could be used in a display to highlight a program about planes or to celebrate National Aviation Day.